


The Human Void of Life

by akgerhardt



Category: Original Work, The Human Condition - Fandom, Void of Life
Genre: Cyberpunk, Grieving, I create so many different substories to spare y’all from readin what you don’t want to, Injuries and Past Deaths, M/M, Pre-Apocalypse, Prosthetics and Body Modifications, Solarpunk, This is where you find two universes amend with a side of invisible bf and consentacles, Weird Scientific Phenomena, accidental universe hopping, but NSFW chapters will be marked so you can skip them if they’re not your jam
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-08-05 14:09:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16369082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akgerhardt/pseuds/akgerhardt
Summary: The multiverse is a funny thing- if it were sentient, I’d have some choice words for it.





	1. Chapter 1

_“So, this is it, huh? Fucking finally...”_

_”Yeah... It’s silly, but- I thought I was more than ready for this moment, and now that it’s actually here, I- I’m kind of scared. You know I don’t believe in woo, but what if there really is some sort of bullshit afterlife, and only one of us moves on? What if it’s... just more nothingness, but- but without you?”_

_“C’mon, man; I need you to stay with me.”_

I turned my attention back to the task at hand, focusing with all my might to amplify and channel my energy. It glowed brighter, continuing to course through him as he harnessed it. He was now nearly the size of Saturn, transformed into an astral-like state as he set to revitalizing the dying sun.

...

_“I think we did pretty good. We saved the whole fucking world, and the solar system! I can’t imagine greater adventures than the ones we shared, and there’s no one I’d rather have spent them with. If we’re gonna go, might as well go out with a bang, right? It’s wild seeing the galaxy like this.”_

_“Yeah...”_

_“... I know, but I have you. We’re ok; we’re in this together.”_

_“You truly are larger than life, heheh... Thank you, for everything. You filled the years with joy and purpose, and I love you so goddamn much, more than I could ever put into words...”_

_“I love you too, dingus. Here goes nothing.”_

_“Tally fucking ho, time to die!”_

_"Thanks for the memeries. It’s been real."_

He completed the process with one final manipulation. The blast of light began to encompass us, and he reverted to normal size as I unphased partially to make one last contact with him. We turned away and shut our eyes in a vain attempt to shield ourselves, holding each other tightly as we kissed. Our consciousness faded as our forms dissipated, and that was the end of the gay-ass gods of life and void.

 

* * *

 

Beeping, whirring, clicking, and dripping- an insufferable combination. I felt like I’d been awoken from a hundred-year slumber, stepping begrudgingly out of the darkness into... a bedroom, a rather small and shitty one at that. There was a pile of dildos next to an overflowing trashcan and a bin full of dirty dishes. A heap of laundry sat beside the dresser. A man lay sleeping soundly on a mattress on the floor, plushies poking out from under the covers. 

He looked familiar. Same physical structure, but lacking distinct robotic features and sporting dark brown hair and a slight goatee. 

“... Minaeus?”

He stirred slightly, stretching before going lax again. 

“Hey, Minaeus, please- please wake up...”

He grumbled, eyes still closed.

      “No; s’cold...”

He scooted over to make room in an unspoken invitation. I approached him awkwardly. 

“You have nipples.”

      “Mhmm.”

I continued studying him in bewilderment, and he eventually looked up. His grogginess faded to shock as he glanced me over, and he gaped for a moment before scrambling backwards. I recoiled in an attempt to stop him from falling out of bed.

      “... Why do you look like some Casper-wannabe?”

“Sorry?”

      “Must be lucid dreaming... You- wait, no... Oh, fuck, Al-”

Just like that, everything went white.


	2. Chapter 2

                                                         “He’s waking up!”

                                  “Oh, thank goodness...”

I glanced around, realizing that they were referring to him, not me. He was connected to a bunch of medical devices, and I grimaced at the sight.

                        “Welcome back, sunshine boy. You gave everyone quite the fright.”

                                                          “But now you’re a cyborg!!”

                        “Hiya, hush. Don’t go on that side.”

The girl ignored the woman, maneuvering past the wires and tubes to hug him. He reached over shakily to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Eventually, half of the apparatuses were removed. He drank some ice water before speaking, voice hoarse.

      “Where’s... Al?”

The atmosphere faded from jubilant to uncomfortable in that moment, and they tried to circumnavigate the question.

...

                                   “Later, dear. Just rest.”

      “Where is he? Is he ok? I need to know.”

                        “We’re in Canada. The chopper flew us over!”

      “Can I... see him?”

                                   “... Min, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

      “Please. I can handle it.”

He won out in the end, and was brought to a nearby room not for patients. The nurse unlocked the door hesitantly, gesturing to the only person there, lying flat under a sheet.

He leaned forward in his wheelchair to pull it off the upper half. The being was frail and gaunt, appearing thoroughly battered with patches covering empty spots on its form. A ziplock baggie was given to him, containing a phone, cut clothes, and broken glasses. He reached over to take a slender hand between his, ignoring the dried blood.

      “... I should’ve stopped him from coming. Should’ve never even told him about it...”

                                   “It was his choice. There’s no use dwelling on the past.”

...

                                              “He was registered as an organ donor, and the two of you were a match, so-”

      “Fuck...”

He was taken back to his room, and they attempted to console him.

                                              “Would you like something to help you relax?”

      “No, I don’t want any goddamn drugs. I’m grieving, Linda.”

                                              “My name is Gertrude.”

      “Do I look like I give a shit?

      ... Sorry, that was uncalled for. I just, uh. Can I be alone for a couple minutes?”

                                             “Everything looks good, so the doctor plans to clear you for discharge tomorrow afternoon.”

      “Thanks. Sorry, again.”

                                             “Don’t try to get up by yourself. When you need assistance, just press the buzzer.”

He nodded bleakly, reciprocating hugs until the last loved one had left, closing the door on their way out.

“... I’m sorry.”

He jumped slightly, now aware of my presence. After a moment, he sighed, shutting his eyes.

      “Oh, fuck me in the ass. What the hell am I on?”

I placed my hand on his new arm, and he shuddered, blinking back tears.

“I swear to you, this is real. I- I’m not the person you knew, but similar, I think. I come from a universe where-”

He tugged me on top of him and held me to his chest tightly, as if at risk of me slipping away otherwise.

“Everything’s ok, Minaeus. I’m ok. We’re ok. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”

He buried his face in my hair silently, hot tears spilling down.

      “... I’m almost glad that I lost it, because I can at least pretend you’re still here.”

I stroked him sadly, and we stayed like that for a while. 

“... I’ll prove it, somehow. But listen, I’m a different Alastair, one who is neither dead nor alive and has no fucking clue what’s going on. My Minaeus was, ah, a giant robot.”

      “Aw, hell yes. Dreams do come true.”

“Hm?”

      “You know that’s the shit I always dreamed about. And you- you wanted to be a fucking ghost. It all makes sense now; I’m just tripping.”

“I... Ok. Please rest for them, alright? I’ll be here when you wake.”

He complied reluctantly, never loosening his grip.


	3. Chapter 3

      “You’re... still here,” he murmured.

“Of course I am! They tried to get your vitals earlier, but you wouldn’t move your arms, heheh- just had them hovering in the air.”

      “It figures that nobody else can see you... I’m still questioning my sanity.”

“No, but they could... I- I can’t pick and choose who to be visible to; it used to be everyone or no one. I think it has something to do with these.”

I gestured to the electrodes on his body and his neurologically-synced prosthetic implants. 

      “Oh, right, because you possessed my mind.”

“I woke up there! I- I don’t think I’m capable of possessing anything except inanimate electronics.”

     “Yeah, you say that now, but then you’ll start moving my legs by yourself while we’re doin’ the nasty-”

“Christ... At least you seem to be in better spirits than last night.”

     “I’m also on way too many pain meds, so sorry for being out of it...”

I tilted my head up to kiss his chapped lips, and he trembled at the sensation. He ran his fingers through my hair, then shut his eyes again, blinking back more tears. I hummed quietly in an attempt to soothe him.

...

      “Guess I have a therapy ghost now... If people catch me talking to myself-”

A knock at the door interrupted him, and the technician strode in without waiting for a response, wheeling her mobile station over. She took his vitals and handed him a breakfast menu before leaving.

      “... Wait, where did my family go?”

“I’d guess they’re staying somewhere nearby since you’re ok now. They looked tired.”

      “This is all my fault... I- I got you killed-”

“No, you didn’t.”

      “The other you.”

“I’m fairly certain that was also on me... and I probably lowkey wanted to die."

      "Nah, we were high key about our desire for death. Always memeing away our existential dread."

"... If you don’t mind me asking, ah... what happened?”

      “... Might as well revisit it while it’s still fresh. They- These assholes are trying to destroy the forests, and they managed to scatter the rest of the protestors, but we got past. We did some ballsy shit to wreck as many machines as possible, and then I got my goddamn legs run over, and- and some other shit, but when they started coming at us- at me- you fucking threw yourself at them like a chihuahua on a pack of wolves until help came. Someone snuck a live video as evidence in case justice isn’t completely gone... You were a hero, Al. You saved me.”

...

“I didn’t think I was capable of anything even vaguely heroic- I was a loser in life... Must’ve been your effect on me, heheh.”

      “I mean, you used to say you wanted your ashes planted with a tree, so I guess I greenified you a lil.”

...

“Oh, right. What year is this?”

      “2021.”

“... It’s not too late, then. 

I’m going to be frank: I let my planet be destroyed the first time around, and- This other me, he sounds like a pretty ok guy who wouldn’t’ve gone down without giving all he had. I feel obligated to carry on in that matter; maybe I can make up for my shortcomings. I, ah. How old was he?”

      “Twenty-five.”

“Four years my senior... And you, you’re-”

      “Thirty. Old as balls.”

“I’m roughly a billion, so you’re good... You know, maybe if I had met you sooner than four-hundred years posthumous, maybe I wouldn’t’ve fucked up as much.”

He shrugged, appearing slightly dazed.

      “... You know what got me fucked up? We had legit dreams about the universe you’re describing, but we brushed them off as our regular brand of wack.

...

      God, what I’d give to have a world that isn’t dying...”

“I’d bring you there if I could.”

      “And- And my family and friends and critters, to have them never be in danger, never age or get sick-”

I nodded empathetically, closing my eyes.

      “... But hey, at least I know that place is ok- it’s like some mythological paradise turned reality. I’d feel bad about abandoning this hellhole, anyway.”

I retrieved the discarded phone, recharging it with a quick transfer of electricity.

“Did I have friends?”

      “Hell yeah, you did.”

“I almost feel like I should talk to them.”

...

I swiped through the apps, finding a chat client with a server named “The Hummingbirds.” Scrolling through earlier conversations, I couldn’t help but smile at their antics. I decided to bite the bullet, not worried about the consequences of doing so as much as staying silent. 

> **Ghost Bird:** Hello, I’m ok in case you’re wondering!!
> 
> **Femme Fatalish:** Whoever you are, this is a sick joke. 
> 
> **Mothman is real and I sucked his dick:** It could be Minaeus; he’s on some pretty heavy shit. Listen, we’re going to see you as soon as possible, ok? 
> 
> **Femme Fatalish:** Eshe said he should be discharged today, and then they’ll fly back. We’re still trying to find substitutes to run the clinic, and the money for plane tickets... I’m sorry; I feel terrible.
> 
> **Mothman is real and I sucked his dick:** ... I mean, he didn’t even make it to the ER. The kids want to see Min when he’s home; they drew cards for him.
> 
> **Ghost Bird:** No, really, I’m Alastair! I swear. I’m from a different universe, though, and I don’t know who any of you are. Could I ask for your names?
> 
> **Pee Is Stored In The Balls:** oh god what the fuck
> 
> **Femme Fatalish:** Ignoring the fact that you could have easily picked up on his typing style and lack of capitalization by reading previous messages, what do you have to gain from this? Doxxing? Were you hired to get rid of us? You’re going to have to try harder; we're not /that/ gullible. 
> 
> **Pee Is Stored In The Balls:** just kick him it’s probably a troll
> 
> **Pee Is Stored In The Balls:** maybe someone stole his phone or found us when he went viral
> 
> **Mothman is real and I sucked his dick:** I’ll entertain you for a moment and test your stalking skills. What was your cat’s name?
> 
> **Ghost Bird:** ... Sophie.
> 
> **Femme Fatalish:** What’s your failed crush’s name?
> 
> **Ghost Bird:** Anna? 
> 
> **Mothman is real and I sucked his dick:** Where are your parents?
> 
> **Ghost Bird:** Buried, in Wales.
> 
> **Femme Fatalish:** What did you try to make a living doing?
> 
> **Ghost Bird:** I’m torn between singing and quantum physics.
> 
> **Mothman is real and I sucked his dick:**  Level 2: Are you a twink?
> 
> **Ghost Bird:** Hey, fuck you. Who even are you people? He said you were my friends!
> 
> **Pee Is Stored In The Balls:**  should’ve just asked for a selfie
> 
> **Ghost Bird:** Do you want a “selfie” of me? I could literally manifest through your devices like some off-brand horror movie.
> 
> **Pee Is Stored In The Balls:**  tf 
> 
> **Femme Fatalish:** We don’t want to be played like this. Choose your next move wisely.

      “This is a bad idea. People can’t handle supernatural shit because it doesn’t exist outside of fiction.”

“How do I look?”

      “... Visible.”

**\- Ghost Bird (akgerhardt) sent an attachment. -**

** Join video call? **

“Oh, fuck, uhh... I’ll take this into the bathroom in case you get company.”

He nodded, and I flew off. I activated the handdryer as an added sound barrier, then recharged through the power socket before accepting the call. Their cameras were off, and I stood in awkward silence for a moment.

“H- Hi.”

Queue screaming.


	4. Chapter 4

"My human friends aren't dead anymore!!!" I cheered, poking my head through the door.

       "Aagh!"

                   "What’s wrong?!"

      "My neck... Must've pulled something." 

"Sorry."

I left my phone on the sink, shutting off the makeshift sound barriers and returning. 

"That girl, she's your sister, right? I could've sworn they called her-" 

      "Hiya." 

She looked up from her bag of candied peppers.

                                       "Uh huh?" 

      "Please share with the disabled?"

                                             "No outside food or drink."

                                       "Here ya go!"

      "I love you."

                                             "I'm going to have to confiscate that."

      "Fuck off, Gertie."

                                             "It's Nancy, and-"

      "All you old white ladies look the same..."

                 "I know you're unwell, but we raised you better than this. Apologize." 

      "Sorry."

She made a sour face, taking his tray and leaving with a huff.

      "... Dammit, Margaret. They just brought that."

The door slammed, and his family burst into giggles.

                     "At least it was free."

      "Bitch's probably going to the break room to feast."

...

"Sorry to interrupt again, but are your moms' names Persinna and Eshe? Two blinks equals yes."

Blink, blink.

"Hah!!! Oh my gosh, your family is a bunch of android gods humanized! I can't believe it..."

He quirked an eyebrow questioningly.

"Didn’t you have dreams about them? You must remember!" 

                 "... We're going to head to the cafeteria for a bit, alright? Just text us if you need anything."

      "Flaming hot cheetos and a one-pound bag of pistachios. Or the free food, if you don’t mind taking on the establishment for my sins."

                        "We'll see what we can do," Eshe smirked.

      "Thank you."

Once they left, I slid my phone out from under the door and proceeded to slide into bed next to him.

"Hey."

      "Hey."

"Could I, ah, take a look at your injuries? I'm a bit of a healer."

      "S'mostly superficial, aside from the arm and knees down, which were straight-up obliviated. I was really lucky; we're dual citizens, and this place does state-of-the-art amputations and prosthetic implants- they're partnered with MATRAS, which Ursa is the lifeforce of. Basically, my moms called her, and she made it happen all at once to save more anesthesia."

"Of course you know her. God, this is surreal... I want to interact with them, but..."

      "Oh, yeah, I did get shot a little-"

"What?!"

      "- which is why they harvested organs. There’s... yeah. I don’t want to draw attention... Maybe when I get home, if that's ok."

I nodded, still ghosting my palm over his body. I swirled cyan energy around each area slowly, not knowing if it would have any effect on an organic being.

      "That feels kinda nice."

"Really? I'm not touching anything."

      "S'good... Thanks."

I moved up to his scalp eventually, rubbing lightly with my fingertips. A faint static shock hit one of the neural links, and he made a borderline erotic noise. I stopped.

      "... Holy shit, what. What was that."

"S- Same stuff. Guess you're more sensitive to it there." 

...

      "We should experiment. For science."

"... Yes, we should."


	5. Chapter 5

After multiple examinations and tests, he was deemed well enough to be discharged. They were given a goodie bag filled with meds and wound care supplies, as well as instructions for their use and future specialist and physical therapy recommendations.

"That’s rough, buddy," I murmured, reading over his shoulder.

      "I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed again..."  
  
            "... I wish you would stay with us. We're worried about leaving you alone."  
  
      "I'm sorry, I'm just really messed up and I don't want to subject you to that. Plus, I won't be alone; Al's taking care of the in-home nursing.

...

      I meant our insurance will cover most of it, and the rest will come from his money."  
  
"Gee, thanks," I joked.  
  
                  "Can we stop by, at least? I know you can't turn away my cooking."  
  
      "Of course! Seriously, though, it's just me having issues. You’re the best family ever; I'm so damn lucky. Thank you."  
  
They helped him get situated in his tiny cottage before leaving reluctantly. He struggled to get out of his shirt, so I pulled it off his head. What lay underneath looked rather gruesome. He caught my concerned expression as I stroked his forearm.  
   
      "Don’t worry; I'm on so much shit that I can barely feel it."  
  
...  
  
"Do you think this is a good idea?"  
   
      "Nah. Let’s do it."  
  
He laid back and closed his eyes as I scaled down, beginning to work. I manipulated and duplicated various types of cells and the likes in each abrasion, puncture, and incision, making painstaking efforts to ensure that everything was as it should be to complete the healing process and avoid the formation of scar tissue.  
  
Eventually, it was finished, and I returned to his side, disintegrating the removed stitches. He seemed to have fallen asleep. I swirled my palm across his torso once more for good measure, then placed a kiss on his abdomen.  
  
"Tada! All better?"  
  
...  
  
      "Needs more kisses."  
  
I chortled, nuzzling him and snuggling closer as he wrapped his arms around me. He yawned and looked down past my transparent form to inspect my handiwork.  
  
       "It... It’s like nothing happened. This is amazing."  
  
I beamed proudly. He got comfortable again, sighing contently.  
  
      "... Is it weird that I'm kinda glad I get to keep part of you alive inside me?"  
  
"Not by your standards."  
  
      "That’s fair."  
  
"We engaged in kinky robot vore all the time. I think it's just your nature."  
  
      "I wanna hear every detail about our experiences."  
  
"It might take a while, seeing as we were around longer than any living being... but I'd very much like to learn about your world, too. It’s difficult to imagine perfect android beings turned into flawed humans with limitations... You probably can't even think the same anymore. I feel so bad that you share my curse."  
  
      "Eh. I mean, I'm definitely fucked up. But he kept a diary if you wanna read it."  
  
"Heh, of course he did...  
  
On the flip-side, the fact that nearly all of my loved ones are alive at the same time, that they even met each other here... It’s unbelievable."  
  
...  
  
      "I may be a gross human, but I love you even if we can't smash anymore."  
  
"Sorry?"  
   
      "You, uh... You don't have to answer, but can you still nut?"  
  
"... Yes.  
  
I... still have all of my external features, in case you were wondering."  
  
      "Ghost dick!"  
  
I groaned embarrassedly.  
  
     "You can haunt this ass."  
  
"I'm still coming to terms with the fact that you even have bodily functions, let alone an ass," I shuddered.  
  
      "Can't help it. Don’t human-shame me."  
  
"Don’t get me wrong, I love you all the same... I just, bleh."  
  
He smooched my forehead, chuckling.  
  
      "You sayin' I'm not a sexy beast like other me?"  
  
"No, you're very handsome! And attractive and ah, sculpted. That must take a lot to maintain."  
  
      "Kinda."  
  
"You two look quite similar, especially in face, skintone, and physical structure. I think you're taller, though."  
  
      "You and other you are pretty much identical. I dunno if you're different mentally because of your experiences and whatever, but we had a lot of semi-normal human sex if you wanna try it sometime. He even accidentally knocked me up, but then I got rid of all that shit, so no need to find out if ectobabies are possible."

"Jesus Christ, please tell me you aborted it."

      "I had to; I'm not sick enough to go through with something like that."

I sighed in relief. He poked one of the wisps of my tail curiously. His finger phased through, to his disappointment, but then I poked him back. Several other wisps caressed him in different spots, one diving down to tickle him once he lowered his guard. He was unable to stop it, but I quickly relented.

      "... You ever heard of hentai?"

"Oh, god."

      "Three holes~" 

I changed back to legs, mortified.

      "Just consider it, for future reference."

"This is a good time for a subject change. Does your human machine fancy pizza?"

     "Hell yeah; I'm a bad vegan."

"Dinner's on me, then. Prepare to be wowed!"

I spun one into existence in front of him, and he caught it, promptly opening the box.

      "Holy SHIT. I hit the jackpot..."

He bit into a slice, then went silent.

      "... You've never tried it, have you?"

"I've been told it tastes like cardboard and glue, but I thought it'd be palatable by now... I, uh. I can also make spaghetti, if you're feeling brave."

      "It's chill; thanks anyway. Still badass that you can do it in the first place."

I retrieved real food for him and heated it up in the microwave before bringing it over, setting it atop a couch pillow like a placemat.

...

      "Hey, were you messin' with my joints, too?"

"A little. Are they ok?"

      "Nothing hurts anymore... Thank you, man. Seriously; I really appreciate it."

"Of course; anything for you, love."

      "... Have I mentioned I love you? Because I do, and not because you did all of this for me. I love you so much that I can't handle it sometimes-"

I smooched his cheek and began to administer scalp scritches. He swallowed his mouthful of sweet potatoes, shivering slightly.

"Sorry; am I cold?"

      "No, it's just... It makes my head feel tingly, like that ASMR shit. It’s good."

I continued, smiling. He reciprocated, albeit flustered. 

"... Just so you know, I'm not opposed to being kinky weirdos."

...

      "I can't wait until these drugs stop cockblocking me."


	6. Chapter 6

"It's a beautiful day! The sun is shining, the birds are singing-"

      "Dude, seriously?"

"What?"

      "This is your funeral."

"I mean, yeah, but-"

I relented at his expression, and helped him reattach his prosthetics once he finished getting dressed. He was still learning how to use them, and wasn’t exactly ready for that challenge.

      "Thanks. We have, like, two hours to kill before they come."

I followed him to the kitchen, where he poured himself a bowl of shredded wheat and nuts. 

I picked up my phone, finally mustering the courage to go through his album. Five years of photos and videos- cute critters, cool plants, pretty scenery, off-stage recordings, smiling faces, selfies, groups of adventuring nerds, and so forth- including hundreds of Sophie and Min. I'd already gone through his texts and semi-active social media accounts, but seeing these moments preserved in time, what he cherished most and what he'd experienced, really shook me. 

I eventually made it to the end, deciding to look at the earlier folders on his cloud drive another time. 

On a whim, I checked the sole document there, and discovered it was his diary.

"... I thought it was a physical book."

      "Nah; we're too milennial for that."

There were hundreds of thousands of words separated by dated entries, logging descriptions, conversations, thoughts, and virtually everything else. I had to stop, setting the device back on the table and covering my face.

      "You alright?"

"... He was me but redeemed. I feel like I- knew him... It should've been me instead, it-" 

He rubbed my back as I cried for reasons I didn't exactly understand. 

... 

"I almost wish I got here sooner to see Sophie again..."

      "Oh, dude, wait one sec."

He got up and headed to a wide cabinet, kneeling to unlock it. I watched, confused. 

      "Wakey, wakey, Sophia the Great-y."

...

              "Mrow!"

I dashed over as she hopped down, nuzzling against his normal, outstretched hand. She inspected his new legs curiously, and I zapped myself into existence to greet her. She scooted under the couch, startled.

"Sophie!!! Sophie, my angel, I've missed you something awful all these years; my mind even made a dream version of you...

It’s ok! It’s just me."

She came out, approaching me warily. I extended my hand for her to sniff, wondering if I even had a scent anymore. At the least, she recognized me in voice and face, and I lay flat on the floor as she bonked heads with me, purring. I tried to contain my emotions, stroking and smooching her.

"... How? How is this possible? She looks so young..."

      "She's a self-sustaining robo-prototype. Top-secret, first and only of her kind, which is why she goes into sleep mode there when we're gone. Can't have cat burglars if anyone hears about it.

      ... Ursa's lab made her, obvs. It was planned in advance and she was chosen to be studied extensively and basically have her mind replicated into an artificial neural network, consciousness activated posthumous."

I was now on my back, hugging her and burying my face in her floof as the tears flowed freely.

"My sweetheart, my darling, my precious snugglebuggle... I love you so much, Sophie; I’m overjoyed that you’re still here and well," I sniveled.

She licked my cheek, clearly accustomed to my instability.

"This is beyond wonderful... A literal dream come true. Now we have to save the world."

We stayed like that for a while, until we were interrupted by a quiet beep. I sat up carefully, cradling her.

      "Hey, buddy!"

Another series of familiar robotic noises followed, accompanied by whirring. A spherical bot rolled out, looking around through its lense. 

"You have a Beeper?!"

      "Guessin' you've met before," he laughed. 

"That was your first creation. You were so proud; you made a bunch and they were adorable... Much smaller, though."

      "She made this one. Another prototype."

It started playing a cheery song, matching the tempo by flashing patterns of lights through its panel. 

"Ours don't do that, heh. They really only exist for the sake of existing and being cute." 

He demonstrated some of its cool quirks, including voice recognition. We lost track of time as we played with our companions.

“Who’s the bestest immortal kitty in the multiverse? You are! Oh, I don’t ever want to-”

A loud clatter interrupted us, and the Beeper went silent, hiding as programmed. Sophie hopped off before I could register what happened.

                  “... Al- Alastair?”

I flinched, slowly turning around. We hadn’t heard his family come in over the music, and now they were standing before us, wide-eyed. The sound had come from their bag of gifts being dropped.

      “Fuck...”

“I, ah. H- Hello-”

                         “You’re ok!!! Are you a robot Jesus now like your cat?! ... No, you’re see-through like an AI hologram!”

                                 “This can’t be happening. We saw him die; his urn is in the car.”

      “You’re not going to believe it- Seriously, it’s wild. He’s from an alternate universe where he turned into a science ghost in 1922 and then the planet died and we were all androids who fixed it-”

“I seemed to have been transported here somehow upon his death, and I’m sorry for not telling you sooner; I didn’t-”

They ambushed me in a group hug, tearing up.


	7. Chapter 7

                "... And he healed you completely? I... For the sake of letting this fever dream pass, I'll believe you. It’s just all so far-fetched; I... I don’t know what to think... But what I do know is that there will be a crowd of people gathering soon in his name, and we need to leave."

      "Yeah, but..."

They looked at me uncomfortably. I averted my gaze.

...

"I'm not even sure I'd know anyone else in this world, so I don't intend to make my presence known. Mass hysteria isn't to be trifled with, as much as I'd like to go wild and pretend to be an omnipotent being. The human mind is vulnerable to insanity- I can personally attest to that. I think it's best to just let the rest of the world accept my death and move on. I took a big chance with my old friends; he tried to warn me, but they seem to be recovering. Is it alright if I come anyway? Out of morbid curiosity, if nothing else. I'll disappear entirely from the physical realm, but he'll still be able to interact with me."

      "I'm a medium or some shit now."

 

There were many faces I didn’t recognize- far more people than I’d even anticipated. He wore a Bluetooth earpiece to divert any unwanted attention. Upon arrival, he was thronged by attendees and swept up in a flood of love. There was not a bullshit formality in sight; just a crowd by a newly-purchased vacant lot, which had been cleared of its pavement and foundations prior to the event to start anew. The dirt was smoothed over, and a hole was dug in the middle, where my ashes were then mixed with potting soil and placed in it to line the space around a sapling. There was a moment of silence in which I was overwhelmed by guilt and nearly appeared to them just to try to provide comfort. I laced my fingers between his, squeezing gently. He turned his head to dry his eyes on his sleeve, but I beat him to it.

A couple people said goodbyes to the baby tree and spoke to it as if it were a headstone. I wondered what sorts of memories I left for anyone, and if I really had been influential, or if they were just kind.

_Hopefully, I wasn’t too much of a pompous dumbass this time around..._

Once that whole part was over, they set to planting all sorts of other seeds and saplings, working way too hard to fill the new garden with life. I made a small raincloud once they were done to spare them the effort of watering everything, managing to angle the sunlight through to create a mini-rainbow. 

      “Gay,” he murmured under his breath, loud enough for those closest to hear. Several laughed.

They then set to cleaning up trash nearby before departing. He showed me social media posts intended for me, and I realized that I had somehow inspired complete strangers to take action for the planet. 

Once we left, we were taken to his mothers’ house, where I was safe to reappear for Andrew and Ted. The former nerded out just a little, while the latter was slightly terrified, not unlike their 1950's counterparts. We swapped stories while Minaeus and his moms kept the kids entertained, and, eventually, they headed back to their cabin. We decided to stay a couple days, as it was a while to walk and I wanted to check out their mini-paradise. After that, I "telecommuted" over to Winston and Anna and had yet another adventure, leaving them like the Benowitz family with hugs and riches and a promise to visit again soon. 

Several months later, I successfully bioengineered a (harmless) sterilization agent and released it into the atmosphere. It spread throughout the world until it completely ended human reproduction, which caused a bit of a global panic, along with the mysterious deaths of malevolent people in power. Fossil fuel extraction was halted, development sabotaged, and so forth. There was still a long way to go and much work to be done, but it was better than the last time. 

_Maybe immortality isn't that terrible... If I didn't know better, I'd think I was brought here for a reason. I daresay I can be a decent antagonist._


	8. Chapter 8

      "This is fucking awesome," he murmured. I hummed in agreement, nuzzling Sophie. We were snuggled up in a pile of blankets and pillows and dogs, watching the rain and wind on the garden through the windowpane. 

"I'm just glad I seem to be doing some things right, heh."

      "Damn straight you are." 

"Here's to not being garbage!" 

We smooched, then fell back into comfortable silence.

"... If only I could save you all from the pain of being organic. I don't want you to suffer or die or suffer while dying."


End file.
